Update control of image processing control data

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to the updating of image processing control data that is related to image data and controls image processing of the image data. An image related data generator generates an image file that includes image data and image processing data pre-stored therein. The image processing control data can be updated according to the following process. The image related data generator sends specification data that specifies image processing control data to be updated to an update data server. Then the image related data generator receives the update data from the update data server. And the image related generator updates the image processing control data stored therein with the update data.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.12/231,516, filed on Sep. 2, 2008, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,924,472 which isa continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/429,017, filed on May 2,2003 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,428,082 B2). The disclosures of these priorapplications from which priority is claimed are incorporated herein byreference for all purposes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a technique for image processing of imagedata, based on image processing control data that is related to theimage data and is used to control the image processing of the imagedata.

2. Description of the Related Art

Various types of image generators, such as digital still cameras,digital video cameras, and scanners, are widely used. Various types ofimage output devices, such as computer displays and printers, are alsowidely used. Image data to be output can be retouched with photo-retouchsoftware.

This retouching, however, requires the user to be highly skilled andtherefore it is difficult to generate retouched image data thatsufficiently reflects the characteristics of the image generator and theintention of the user. And also it is labor intensive to carry out suchretouching processes whenever outputting the images, which can reducethe convenience of the retouch software or the image outputting devices.

One available technique to reduce the amount of labor required and makethe image processing easier is to attach image processing control datato image data when the image data is generated, thereby controllingimage processing based on the image processing control data. In thistechnique, the image processing control data is preferably updatedafterwards.

The update of the image processing control data is also labor intensive,because the user has to check whether the image processing control datashould be updated or not, and then acquire the correct update data forthe image processing control data to be updated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention solves at least part of the above-mentioned problem, andreduces the amount of labor required to update the image processingcontrol data, thereby making image processing more easily reflect theuser's intentions.

This invention provides a number of embodiments. One embodiment is animage related data generator that is connected to a server. The imagerelated data generator comprises an image data generator, a control datastorage module, a relating module, and a storage manager. The image datagenerator is configured to generate image data. The control data storagemodule pre-stores image processing control data to control imageprocessing of the image data. The relating module is configured torelate the image data to the image processing control data. The storagemanager is configured to update at least a part of the image processingcontrol data stored in the control data storage, by sendingspecification data, which specifies the image processing control data tobe updated, to the server and receiving update data from the server.

The image related data generator can easily update the image processingcontrol data stored therein.

In this invention, the image related data generator may be implementedas, e.g., a digital still camera and a scanner. In this case, at leastpart of the control data storage module and the storage manager can beprovided by another device, such as a computer. And the image relateddata is typically constructed as an image file that includes image dataand image processing control data therein.

The server performs the function of transmitting the update datacorresponding to the specification data sent from the image related datagenerator. The specification data specifies the image processing controldata to be updated and the image processing control data itself can beused as the specification data.

The update data corresponding to the specification data can be a newversion of the image processing control data corresponding to thespecification data.

The transmission between the server and the image related data generatorcan be implemented in various manners, such as via a communication line,e.g., a network such as the Internet or a LAN, and via a recordingmedium, e.g., memory cards.

Various triggers are available for the transmission of the update data,such as an instruction by the user of the image related data generatorand a predetermined time period. It is also possible to check whether ornot there is update data in the server and then acquire any such updatedata, according to the user's instruction. The information as to whetheror not there is update data in the server can be periodicallytransmitted to the image related data generator.

In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the storagemanager may add the update data into the control data storage, and alsomay overwrite the image processing control data corresponding to thespecification data with the update data. In the former case, the oldversion of the image processing control data can be used as well as thenew version. In the latter case, the old version of the image processingcontrol data is deleted, thereby achieving effective use of the hardwareresources of the control data storage module and easily managing theimage processing control data where a large amount of the imageprocessing control data is stored in the control data storage.

The overwritten area of the control data storage does not have tocorrespond to the area where the old version of the image processingcontrol data is stored. By way of example, it is also possible to storethe update data into a new area of the control data storage and make theold version invalid.

In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the specificationdata can be at least a part of the image processing control data. Inthis embodiment, the data structure of the control data is storage,because there is no need to store additional data as the specificationdata.

In one preferred embodiment, the image related data generator mayinclude an identification data storage module configured to storeidentification data mapped to the image processing control data, theidentification data identifying each piece of the image processingcontrol data. And in this embodiment, the specification data can be theidentification data. This embodiment makes the data size of thespecification data rather small, thereby reducing the amount of hardwareresources required to store the specification data.

By way of example, the identification data may include the name or theversion number of the image processing. The data size of this type ofidentification data is generally smaller than that of the imageprocessing control data. Accordingly, using this small sizespecification data can reduce the time required for transmitting theupdate data from the server. And that also can reduce the use of thehardware resources of the server where the update data is stored and thetime required for retrieving the update data, thereby enhancing thespeed of the update data transmission process of the server.

The identification data can include attribute data of the image relateddata generator, such as the name of the device and the properties of thegeneration of the image data, and data related to the image outputdevices, such as the name of the device and the properties of theprocessing by the image output devices. In this embodiment, the imagerelated data can acquire the update data corresponding to the imagerelated data generator and the image output device specified by theidentification data.

Another embodiment of the present invention is an image related dataeditor, which is connected to a server. The image related data editorcomprises an input module, an update data acquiring module, and arelating module. The input module is configured to input image data andattribute data related to the image data, with the attribute dataincluding at least one of image processing control data to control imageprocessing of the image data and identification data to identify theimage processing control data. The update data acquiring module isconfigured to acquire update data of the image processing control databased on the attribute data from the server. The relating module isconfigured to relate the image data to the update data.

The image processing may conducted in either of two ways. The first wayis to input image related data including the image processing controldata therein, and to modify the image processing control data. Thesecond way is to input image related data including the identificationdata therein, and to change the identification data to the imageprocessing control data corresponding to the identification data.

The image related data editor of the present invention can easily editthe attribute data included in the image related data so that the updatedata acquired from the server is included therein.

The server can be placed outside of the image related data editor aswell as included in the image related data editor. Further, the servercan be constructed with storage resources both outside and inside of theimage related data editor, and can switchover between such storageresources according to a predetermined condition.

The image related data editor can be used in a combination with theimage related data generator and other image output devices. Even whenthe image related data generator and the image output devices cannot usethe update data, the combination of the image related data editor andthe image related data generator and the other image output devices canbe used to construct an image related data generating system or an imageprocessing system, which uses the update data.

In the case where the image related data editor can perform the functionof transmitting image data via a network, it can be used as an imagerelated data server that transmits image related data via the network.In this embodiment, the image related editor can input image relateddata including the attribute data, generate modified image related datathat reflects the update data, and transmit the modified image relateddata to other devices connected to the network. The destination may bethe same device from which the original image related data is input, ormay be a different device. The user who intends to transmit the imagerelated data can easily apply the update data to the image related datain this manner.

Another embodiment of the present invention is an update data transmitapparatus, which is connected to a predetermined outer device. Theupdate data transmit apparatus comprises an update data storage module,an input module, and an update data transmission module. The update datastorage module pre-stores update data for image processing control datato control image processing of image data, the update data being mappedto at least one of the image processing control data and theidentification data to identify the image processing control data. Theinput module is configured to input predetermined data from the outerdevice, the predetermined data including the image processing controldata to be updated or the identification data. The update datatransmission module is configured to transmit the update datacorresponding to the predetermined data to the outer device. The updatedata transmit apparatus is typically constructed with a server thatperforms the functions of storing and transmitting the update data.

In this embodiment, various devices including the image related datagenerator and the image related data editor can, even when they do notstore the update data therein, acquire and use the update data throughcommunication with the update data transmit apparatus.

The update data transmit apparatus can integrally manage the mappingbetween the image processing control data and the identification data tothe update data. This mapping is available for responding to thetransmission requirement or the update data sent from various devicesincluding the image related data generator and the image related dataeditor.

The image processing control data of the present invention can be setaccording to the image output devices that use the data during imageprocessing. By way of example, the image processing control data can beset according to the type of the image output device. By way of example,the type of the image output device may be categorized into one of thefollowing groups: personal computers that execute image processingapplication programs, printers, and projectors. The type also may becategorized according to the maker of the printer.

The update data transmit apparatus transmits the update datacorresponding to the type of the image output device, therebyimplementing appropriate image processing according to such type. By wayof example, a user of a new type of printer can easily acquire the imageprocessing control data corresponding to such new type. The maker of theprinter also can easily provide the image processing control data forsuch new type.

In addition to the image related data generator, the image related dataeditor, and the update data transmit apparatus, the present inventionalso provides a method for generating or editing the image related data,and a method for transmitting the update data. A computer program thatcauses a computer executing each function of the above-mentioned devicesor apparatuses, and a computer readable recording medium in which thecomputer program is stored are also provided.

Typical examples of the recording medium include flexible disks,CD-ROMs, magneto-optic discs, IC cards, ROM cartridges, punched cards,prints with barcodes or other codes printed thereon, internal storagedevices (memories such as a RAM and a ROM) and external storage devicesof the computer, and a variety of other computer readable media.

The above and other objects, features, aspects, and advantages of thepresent invention will become more apparent from the following detaileddescription of the preferred embodiments when read in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic that shows the general construction of the imageoutput system.

FIG. 2 is a schematic that shows the general construction of the digitalstill camera.

FIG. 3 is a schematic that shows the function blocks of the digitalstill camera.

FIG. 4 is a schematic that shows the function blocks of the update dataserver.

FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B are schematics that show the data structure of theimage file.

FIG. 6A and FIG. 6B are schematics that show an example of the interfacewindow to set the image processing mode.

FIG. 7 shows an example of the parameters of the image processingcontrol data.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of the image processing.

FIG. 9A and FIG. 9B are schematics that show an example of the interfacewindow to update the image processing control data.

FIG. 10A and FIG. 10B are schematics that show an example of theinterface window to apply the update data.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart of the update data transmission process.

FIG. 12 is a schematic that shows a first example of the processing ofthe update data server.

FIG. 13 is a schematic that shows a second example of the processing ofthe update data server.

FIG. 14 is a schematic that shows the general construction of the imageoutput system.

FIG. 15 is a schematic that shows the function blocks of the imagerelated data editor.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart of the image file edit process.

FIG. 17 is a schematic that shows the general construction of the imageoutput system.

FIG. 18 is a schematic that shows the function blocks of the image filetransmission server.

FIG. 19 is a flowchart of the image file transmission process.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are discussed below inthe following sequence:

-   -   A. Image output system;    -   A1. Construction of the System;    -   A2. Function Blocks of System;    -   A3. Data Structure of Image Files;    -   A4. Processing Mode and Image Processing Control Data;    -   A5. Image Processing Apparatus;    -   A6. Update of Image Processing Control Data;    -   A7. Advantages of the System;    -   B. Second Embodiment; and    -   C. Third Embodiment.

A. Image Output System

A1. Construction of the System

FIG. 1 is a schematic that shows the general construction of the imageoutput system. The image output system of the first embodiment includesa digital still camera (DSC) 10 as an image related data generator, acolor printer 11 as an image processing apparatus and an image outputapparatus, and an update data storage server (UDS server) 12 as anupdate data transmit apparatus. Data transmission is achieved through amemory card MC between the DSC 10 and printer 11, and via a network INTbetween the DSC 10 and the UDS server 12. For this purpose, the DSC 10is equipped with a network connection terminal PLG and a memory cardslot SLT1, and the printer 11 is equipped with a memory card slot SLT2.

The DSC 10 generates an image file and transmits the image file to theprinter 11 through the memory card MC. Two kinds of data are related andstored in the image file: image data and image processing control data(hereinafter referred to as “PIM parameters” or “PIM”). This data isused to control image processing of the image data that the printer 11executes. The PIMs are pre-stored in the DSC 10, and attached in theimage file according to the user's instructions.

In this embodiment, the image files adopt a specific file structure inconformity with the Exif (Exchangeable Image File) format standard fordigital still cameras. The Exif format defines an image data recordingarea to record image data therein, and an attribute informationrecording area to record various attribute information related to theimage data.

Though the DSC 10 as the image related data generator is discussed inthis embodiment, various devices, such as scanners and digital videocameras, may be used as the image related data generator. In the casewhere the image related data generator can record movies, e.g., digitalvideo cameras, the MPEG format may be used for the image data includedin the image file. The image file including a movie, as image data, andthe PIM can be used to control the image processing for the movie whenit is output.

The printer 11 receives the image file from the DSC 10, analyzes it, andextracts the image data and the PIM from the image file. The printer 11,then, executes the image processing of the image data according to thePIM and prints out the image.

For data transmission between the printer 11 and the DSC 10, varioustechniques are applicable besides recording medium such as memory cards,and such techniques include networks, e.g., a LAN, and communicationsthrough infrared and cables. Various devices, such as CRTs andprojectors, are applicable for the image processing apparatus and theimage output apparatus.

The UDS server 12 sends update data to the DSC 10. The update data to besent is determined based on the specification data sent from the DSC 10.The specification data includes predetermined information that specifiesthe update data to be sent. As discussed later, the specification datamay include a part of the PIM, or identification data to identify thePIM. The UDS server 12 retrieves the update data according to thereceived specification data and determines the update data to be sent.The determined update data is transmitted to the DSC 10.

The client to which the UDS server 12 transmits the update data can beselected from among various devices that can use the update data for thePIM.

Various types of networks are applicable for the network INT includingwide area networks, e.g., the Internet, and relatively limited networks,e.g., a LAN.

FIG. 2 is a schematic that shows the general construction of the digitalstill camera (DSC). The DSC 10 generates image data by means ofcollecting and focusing light rays onto a digital device, such as CCDsor photoelectric scanners. In the DSC 10, image data is generated bymeans of an optical circuit 121 including a CCD for collectinginformation regarding the light rays and an image acquisition circuit122 for converting voltage signals of the CCD into image data.

The DSC 10 includes an optical circuit 20 to collect informationregarding the light rays, an image generation circuit 21 to control theoptical circuit 20 and to acquire images, and a control circuit 23. Thecontrol circuit 23 includes a CPU, ROM, and RAM.

The DSC 10 is also equipped with a select button 24 to input varioussettings and a LCD 25 to display pictures taken by the DSC 10, andvarious settings and information.

The DSC 10 generates image files including the image data and the PIMrelated to the image data. The user can set the PIM through operationsof the select button 24. The image data is generated by the opticalcircuit 20 as described previously.

The PIM includes various information such as the following: gamma valuesof the DSC 10, setting parameters for contrast and color balance, andcolor space parameters that identifies the color space where the imagedata is defined. Besides these parameters, the PIM also includes variousparameters related to the shooting condition: exposures, white balances,apertures, shutter speeds, and zoom settings.

The meaning of the phrase “color space parameters” is described below.In the DSC 10, the image data is ordinarily generated in the RGB colorspace from the voltage signal of the CCD. The type of camera determinesone of the following two kinds of color spaces: sRGB color space andNTSC color space. Both color spaces are defined in the RGB coordinatesystem, and the range of color reproduction of NTSC is broader than thatof sRGB. The sRGB color space is generally in the range of 8 bits (0 to255); a color space that extends through this range to negative valuesor values of and over 256 (hereinafter referred to as the “extended sRGBspace”) may be used instead of the general sRGB color space. Informationon the color space used for shooting is included as the color spaceparameter described previously and attached to the image data asinformation representing the color reproduction characteristics of theDSC 10.

A2. Function Blocks of System

FIG. 3 is a schematic that shows the function blocks of the DSC. Thesefunction blocks are implemented by software in the control circuit 23where a CPU, ROM and RAM are installed therein (see FIG. 2).

An image data generator 31 controls the optical circuit 20, andgenerates image data from the information regarding the light rayscollected by the image generation circuit 21 (see FIG. 2). A controldata storage module 33 stores the PIMs. At least a part of the PIMs isstored in the RAM in a rewritable manner. An image file generator 36generates an image file that records image data generated by the imagedata generator 31 and the PIM stored in the control data storage module33 and related to the image data. The image file is an output file ofthe DSC 10 and is used in the outer devices, such as the printer 11.

A storage manager 35 manages the PIMs stored in the control data storagemodule 33 by storing update data, if the update data corresponding tothe PIMs stored in the control data storage module 33 can be acquired.The storage manager 35 communicates with the UDS server 12 via thenetwork INT to acquire the update data. The UDS server 12 is connectedto the DSC 10 through the network INT, and functions to provide theupdate data. The storage manager 35 sends specification data to the UDSserver 12. The UDS server 12 defines the update data to be transmittedbased on the specification data, and transmits the update data.

The storage manager 35 receives the update data, which is the PIM inthis embodiment, from the UDS server 12 and stores the PIM into thecontrol data storage module 33. There are two options for storing thePIM into the control data storage module 33: 1) the acquired PIM may beadded to the old data; and 2) the acquired PIM may overwrite the olddata. In this embodiment, as discussed later, the user can select eitherone of these options.

An identification data storage module 34 stores identification data thatidentifies the PIM. The identification data is related to the PIM storedin the control data storage module 33. The identification data is usedas the specification data that is sent to the UDS server 12 by thestorage manager 35 to acquire the update data.

By way of example, the name, the property, or the version number of theimage processing or the PIM is applicable as the identification data.

FIG. 4 is a schematic that shows the function blocks of the update dataserver. The UDS server 12 receives the specification data from the DSC10, and transmits the update data corresponding to the specificationdata.

The UDS server 12 includes the communication module 40 that controls thecommunication via the network INT. A receiver 41 receives thespecification data via the network and inputs the specification data toan update data transmit module 42. The update data transmit module 42determines the update data to be transmitted according to thespecification data, and transmits the update data. The data stored in anupdate data storage module 49 is used to determine the update data to betransmitted.

The update data storage module 49 stores the update data mapped to thespecification data. In this embodiment, the PIM and the identificationdata is used as the specification data.

Accordingly, the update data transmit module 42 specifies at least oneof the PIM and the identification data included in the specificationdata, and compares each piece of PIM and identification data stored inthe update data storage module 49, thereby determining the update datato be transmitted. The way to determine the update data to betransmitted is not restricted to the above-described methods.

A3. Data Structure of Image Files

FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B are schematics that show the data structure of theimage file. As previously described, the image file can take the Exifformat that is one of the standards of image files for DSCs.

The Exif format was established by JEIDA (Japan Electronic IndustryDevelopment Association). As shown in FIG. 5A, an image file in the Exifformat has various recording areas: an image data recording area 59 tostore image data; and an attribute information recording area 51 tostore attribute information of the image data stored therein. The imagedata is stored in the JPEG format in the image data recording area 59.

Although the Exif standard applies the JPEG format to record the imagedata, the image files are not restricted to this format. In addition tothe JPEG format, other formats that may be used to format the image datagenerated by the DSC include the PNG format, the TIFF format, the GIFformat, and the BMP format. It will be apparent to those skilled in theart that any format that can include the image data and the attributedata may be used.

The attribute information recording area 51 stores the attributeinformation. The attribute information recording area 51 has a MakerNoterecording area 52, which is a non-defined area and is released to themakers of the DSC. As is well known to the person having ordinary skillin the art, the Exif format uses tags to define each piece of data, andthe tag that defines the data in the MakerNote recording area 52 istitled “MakerNote,” which is called a MakerNote tag.

The MakerNote recording area 52 of the image file is divided intoseveral areas, where the tag specifies the data stored therein. Therecording area where the data related to the image processing is in thePrintMatching recording area 53. This area is specified with a“PrintMatching” tag, and is divided into two areas: 1) a recording areaof the data structure 54; and 2) a recording area of the imageprocessing 55. The recording area of the data structure 54 records thedata structure related to the recording area of the image processing 55.

FIG. 5B schematically shows the data structure of the recording area ofthe image processing 55. Parameters to control the image processing arerecorded as combinations of the name of the tag and the parameter value.

A4. Processing Mode and PIM

FIG. 6A and FIG. 6B are schematics that show an example of the interfacewindow to set the image processing mode. This interface window isdisplayed on the LCD DISP of the DSC. The user can set the processingmode by selecting the “OK” button in the interface shown in FIG. 6A. Inthis embodiment, several processing modes are available: “1. Standard”;“2. Portrait”; “3. Landscape”; and “4. Sunset”, as shown in FIG. 6B. Theselection of the processing mode defines the PIM to be used when theimage file is generated.

FIG. 7 shows an example of the parameters of the PIM. There are fourprocessing modes that are suitable for the four kinds of situations thatmay occur. The parameters of the PIM are pre-determined for each ofthese processing modes. In this embodiment, the PIM includes the fourkinds of parameters shown in FIG. 7: “Gamma correction”; “color space”;“contrast”; and “color balance.”

A5. Image Processing Apparatus

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of the image processing. The processes accordingto the PIM are depicted with double lines.

The CPU of the color printer 11 inputs an image file and extracts imagedata from the image file (Step S81). The printer 11 then converts theimage data in the YCbCr color space into data in the RGB color spaceused for shooting (Step S82). An inversion matrix, which is inverse to amatrix used for conversion from the RGB space to the YCbCr space in thedigital still camera 10, is applied for this conversion. This processconverts the image data into the data in the color space used forshooting, that is, one of the NTSC color space, the sRGB color space,and the extended sRGB color space. In the case of conversion into theextended sRGB color space, the color reproduction range includesnegative values and values of and over 256.

The printer 11 then performs gamma correction of the image data (StepS83). The gamma value used for the gamma correction is included in thecontrol data as information representing the characteristics of thedigital still camera 10.

After completion of the gamma correction, the printer 11 converts thecolor space of the image data into the wRGB color space, which isdefined to have a wider color reproduction range than the sRGB colorspace (Step S84). When the image data defined in either the NTSC colorspace or the extended sRGB color space is processed in the sRGB colorspace having the narrower color reproduction range, the colors of thesubject may not be reproduced accurately. From this point of view, theimage data generated in the sRGB color space may skip a series ofprocessing steps, as discussed below. In this embodiment, however, thecolor space information included in the control data does notdiscriminate the sRGB color space from the extended sRGB color space.Accordingly, the procedure of this embodiment carries out the conversionof the image data generated in the sRGB color space into data in thewRGB color space. Even under such conditions, since the image data inthe extended sRGB color space includes negative values or values of orover 256, the extended sRGB color space may be distinguished from thesRGB color space based on these tone values.

Matrix computation is applied for the conversion into the wRGB colorspace. As described previously, the printer 11 deals with image datadefined in either the sRGB color space or the extended sRGB color spaceand the image data defined in the NTSC color space. Matrices fordirectly converting the image data in the respective color spaces intodata in the wRGB color space may be specified. The procedure of thisembodiment, however, carries out conversion via a standard XYZ colorspace.

The printer 11 first carries out the conversion from the RGB color spaceto an XYZ color space (Step S84). The conversion process depends uponthe color space in which the image data is defined. Accordingly, theprocedure of this embodiment provides two conversion matrices inadvance, that is, a conversion matrix TM1 for the sRGB color space orthe extended sRGB color space and another conversion matrix TM2 for theNTSC color space, and selectively uses one of the two conversionmatrices TM1 and TM2 to implement the conversion according to the colorspace used for shooting. The conversion changes the individual colorspaces, in which the image data is generated, into the standard XYZcolor space.

The printer 11 then carries out conversion from the XYZ color space tothe wRGB color space (Step S85). Matrix computation is also applied forthis conversion. An identical matrix is used for this conversion,irrespective of the color space used for shooting. The matrix used forthe computation may be set arbitrarily according to the definition ofthe wRGB color space.

After completion of the color space conversion process, the printer 11carries out inverse gamma correction (Step S86). The gamma value usedhere is set, based on the color reproduction characteristics of theimage output device.

The printer 11 subsequently carries out automatic adjustment of thepicture quality to reflect the intention of the photographer in shooting(Step S87). In this embodiment, the adjustment parameter with regard to,for example, the contrast is included as the color correction parameterin the control data. The printer 11 implements the automatic adjustmentbased on this parameter. The method of the adjustment is known in theart and is thus not specifically described here.

This series of processing completes the correction of the image datathat reflects the color reproduction characteristics of the DSC 10 andthe intention of the photographer in shooting. The printer 11 convertsthe processed image data into a specific format suitable for printing.

The printer 11 causes the RGB image data to be subjected to a colorconversion process corresponding to the type of the printer (Step S88).This process converts the RGB color system into the CMYK color systemused in the printer. The conversion is performed by referring to aconversion lookup table (LUT) that maps the colors of one color systemto the colors of the other color system. The procedure of thisembodiment typically uses a conversion table LUTw for conversion of thewRGB color space into the CMYK color space. The printer 11 also storesanother conversion table LUTs for the sRGB color space, in order toallow processing of image data defined in the sRGB color space. Theprinter 11 selectively uses the appropriate conversion tablecorresponding to the color space in which the image data is defined. Theconversion table LUTs may be used, for example, when the color spaceconversion process of steps S84 and S85 is skipped for the image dataobtained in the sRGB color space and when the input image file is outputwithout any processing for adjusting the picture quality.

The printer 11 then carries out halftoning of the image data convertedto the tone values of CMYK (Step S89). The halftoning process enablesthe tone values of the image data to be expressed by the density of thedots formed by the printer. Any known method such as, for example, theerror diffusion method or the systematic dither method, may be appliedfor the halftoning process.

In addition to the above-described series of processing steps, theprinter 11 may carry out a resolution conversion process, which convertsthe resolution of picture data into a printing resolution adopted in theprinter, and an interlace data generation process, which sets a dataarrangement and feeding quantities of sub-scan to enable interlacerecording in the printer.

The picture data is converted into a specific format of print data thatenables immediate output from the printer 11 through the conversion atsteps S88 and S89. The printer 11 implements printing based on theconverted data.

A6. Update of PIM

FIG. 9A and FIG. 9B are schematics that show an example of the interfacewindow to update the PIM. This interface is subsequently displayed whenthe update button 61 in FIG. 6B is selected.

FIG. 9A is a schematic of an interface to give a final instruction forupdating the PIM. In this figure, the interface shows that update of thePIM for “Portrait” mode to “Ver.1.2” is available. The interface alsodisplays the size of the update data to be downloaded, the estimatedtime required for downloading, and information regarding the UDS server12 from which the update data is downloaded.

FIG. 9B is a schematic of an interface that is subsequently displayedafter the “Update” button in FIG. 9A is selected and the download iscompleted. This interface indicates completion of the download andrequires selection of the storage mode regarding the way in which thedownloaded update data is to be stored. The storage mode is selected byadd button 72 and overwrite button 71. In the case where the add button72 is selected, the update data is added to the PIMs that are alreadystored in the DSC 10. In the case where the overwrite button 71 isselected, the update data is overwritten to the old-version PIMcorresponding to the update data.

FIG. 10A and FIG. 10B are schematics that show an example of theinterface window to apply the update data. These interfaces are modifiedversions of the interfaces shown in FIG. 6B. In these interfaces, themenu regarding the “Portrait” mode varies according to downloading andstoring, relative to that shown in the FIGS. 9A and 9B, with the updatedata corresponding to the mode. In the case where the add button 72 isselected in FIG. 9B, the old version of “Portrait” mode, depicted as“Portrait(Ver1.0)” in the FIG. 9B″ is available. In the case where theoverwrite button 71 is selected in FIG. 9B, on the other hand, the PIMfor “Portrait(Ver1.0)” mode is deleted, and the old version cannot beselected, as shown in FIG. 10B.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart of the update data transmission process.Processing of the DSC 10 that requires the update data is shown in theleft side, and processing of the UDS server 12 that transmits the updatedata is shown in the right side.

The DSC 10 inputs specification data (Step S11). As previouslydescribed, the specification data includes PIM or identification data.The specification data is sent to the UDS server 12 (Step S12).

The UDS server 12 receives the specification data (Step S23). The UDSserver 12 compares the specification data to each piece of data storedin the update data storage module 49, thereby retrieving the update datato be transmitted (Step S24). Then the UDS server 12 transmits theupdate data to the DSC 10 (Step S25).

The DSC 10 receives the update data from the UDS server 12 (Step S17)and determines the storage mode (Step S18). In the case of the additionmode where the add button 72 in FIG. 9B is selected, the DSC 10 definesa memory area to store the update data (Step S18A) without losing theold-version PIM, and stores the update data to the defined memory area(Step S19). In the case of the overwrite mode where the overwrite button71 in FIG. 9B is selected, on the other hand, the DSC 10 stores theupdate data in a manner that overwrites the old-version PIM (Step S19).

In this embodiment, the update data is stored in the same memory areawhere the old-version PIM is stored. But the memory area is notrestricted to the same memory area. By way of example, one applicableway to overwrite is to store the update data to a different memory areafrom the area where the old-version PIM is stored and to invalidate theold-version PIM or the specification data corresponding to theold-version PIM.

FIG. 12 is a schematic that shows a first example of the processing ofthe update data server. The specification data or old-version PIM 75 iscompared to data stored in the update data storage module 49. In thisexample, the data corresponding to the PIM of “Standard, Ver.1.1” isequivalent to the specification data 75. And the UDS server 12 findsthat there is a new version of the data, depicted “Ver.1.2” in FIG. 12.Accordingly, the latest version of the PIM, “Standard Ver.1.2”, isdefined as the update data to be transmitted. The UDS server 12 extractsthe update data from the update data storage module 49 and transmits it.

FIG. 13 is a schematic that shows a second example of the processing ofthe update data server. In this example, the receiver 41 receives theidentification data 76 from the DSC 10. This identification data 76 iscompared to data stored in the update data storage module 49 by theupdate data transmit module 42. In this example, the name of theprocessing mode is compared first, then the version number; throughthese two steps of comparison the specification data is identified asbeing equivalent to the “Standard Ver.1.1”. And the update data transmitmodule 42 finds that there is a new version of PIM, Ver.1.2, and thatthe Ver.1.1 that is identified by the identification data 76 is an oldversion. The update data transmit module, accordingly, extracts thelatest version of the PIM of “Standard” mode, Ver.1.2, and transmits it.

A7. Advantages of the System

In this embodiment, the DSC 10 can acquire the update data correspondingto the PIM, and thereby easily use such update data. For example, in thecase where makers of the DSC 10 provide new-version PIMs for users, theDSC 10 of the present embodiment easily acquires and stores the updatedata and thereafter uses it.

The user of the DSC 10 easily selects between two storage modes: 1) theaddition mode; and 2) the overwrite mode. This makes the management ofthe PIMs easy, and reduces the hardware resources required to store thePIMs.

In this embodiment, the specification data to be sent to acquire thedesired update data can be defined in various forms: 1) PIM stored inthe DSC 10; and 2) identification data that identifies the PIM. Thisenables various types of image related data generators to update the PIMaccording to the update data. Even when the system can be sent only oneof the PIM and the identification data as the specification data, thesystem can still update the PIM.

The UDS server 12 can accept various types of specification data,thereby responding to requests for the update data from various types ofclients.

The UDS server 12 of the present invention easily updates the PIM storedin image related data generators such as the DSC 10, which is connectedto the UDS server 12, and thereby reduces the amount of labor requiredto provide the update data of the operator of the UDS server 12, andintegrally manages the update data and the mapping between the updatedata and the PIMs.

B. Second Embodiment

FIG. 14 is a schematic that shows the general construction of the imageoutput system. In this embodiment, the personal computer 80 communicateswith the UDS server 12 via the network INT as an image related dataeditor. The computer 80 also communicates with the DSC 10 as an imagerelated data generator via the memory card MC. The computer 80 isconnected to the printer 11 as an image processing apparatus and animage output apparatus.

The DSC 10 sends image files to the computer 80 via the memory card MC.For this purpose, the DSC 10 and the computer 80 are equipped withmemory card slots SLT1, SLT2, respectively. In this embodiment, an imagefile including image data and specification data therein, is sent to thecomputer 80. The specification data is similar to that in the firstembodiment, and includes at least one of the PIM and the identificationdata to identify the PIM. In other words, the specification dataincludes predetermined data to specify the update data corresponding tothe image data.

The computer 80 functions as the image related data editor, and editsthe original image file that is generated by the DSC 10. During theediting process, the computer 80 acquires the update data, by sendingthe specification data recorded in the image file to the UDS server 12.The computer 80 outputs the modified image file in which the update dataand the image data extracted from the original image file are relatedand recorded. In this embodiment, the update data is the PIM, which issent to the printer 11 and is used for image processing for the printout. The functions of the UDS server 12 and the printer 11 are the sameas those described in connection with the first embodiment.

FIG. 15 is a schematic that shows the function blocks of the imagerelated data editor. The image file that the image file inputter 81inputs includes image data and attribute data. The specification data isincluded in the attribute data, and is extracted by the specificationdata generator 83 in the update data acquiring module 82. The extractedspecification data is sent to the UDS server 12, which is connected withthe network INT, via the communication module 85. The update data issent from the UDS server 12 to the update data acquiring module 82 viathe communication module 85. The image file generator 84 generates themodified image file in which the update data and the image dataextracted by the image file inputter 81 are related and stored.

FIG. 16 is a flowchart of the image file edit process. The computer 80inputs the image file (Step S51) and extracts the attribute data and theimage data from the image file (Step S52). The computer 80 furtherextracts the specification data from the attribute data (Step S53) andsends the specification data to the UDS server 12 (Step S54). Then, thecomputer 80 receives the update data from the UDS server 12 (Step S55).Subsequently, the computer 80 generates the modified image file with theupdate data and the extracted image data (Step S56).

In this embodiment, the image related data editor that can acquire theupdate data from the UDS server 12 can easily edit the image file sothat the update data is recorded in the attribute data of the imagefile. The specification data may include at least one of the PIM and theidentification data, and this makes the image related data editor usefulbecause the editor can handle various types of image files as long as itincludes at least one of the PIM and the identification data. The imagerelated data editor of this embodiment is especially useful in the casewhere many image files with various types of PIM need to be edited toinclude the update data.

C. Third Embodiment

The third embodiment of the present invention, which utilizes an imagefile transmission server, is discussed below. The image filetransmission server in this embodiment edits the original image filesent from a client, and transmits the modified image file to theinstructed destination.

FIG. 17 is a schematic that shows the general construction of the imageoutput system. Data transmission via the network INT takes place betweenthe DSC 10 and the image file transmission (IFT) server 90, and alsobetween the IFT server 90 and the printer 11. The DSC 10 is equippedwith a network connection terminal PLG to perform this transmission.

The data sent from the DSC 10 to the IFT server 90 includes two kinds ofinformation: 1) the image file, including the specification data and theimage data therein; and 2) the destination data that specifies thedestination where the modified image file is to be transmitted.

The IFT server 90 edits the image file as an image related data editor.The IFT server 90 generates the PIM as the update data, based on thespecification data. This function is similar to that of the UDS server12 in the previous embodiments, and, as such, the details of suchfunction have already been described herein. The IFT server 90 transmitsthe modified image file to the instructed destination according to thedestination data. In this example, the destination is the printer 11that is possessed by the user of the DSC 10.

FIG. 18 is a schematic that shows the function blocks of the IFT server90. The IFT server 90 also functions as an image related data editor.Some parts of the function blocks illustrated in FIG. 18 are similar tothose of the image related data editor shown in FIG. 14. One of thedifferences is that the IFT server 90 does not acquire the update datafrom the outer devices; the update data acquiring module 92,accordingly, does not have the function of acquiring the update datathrough the communication module 99.

The update data acquiring module 92 refers to the update data storagemodule 97, thereby generating the update data corresponding to thespecification data, which is extracted by the specification datagenerator 93 from the image file.

The function of the update data acquiring module 92 generating theupdate data is similar to that of the update data transmit module 42 ofthe UDS server 12 (see FIG. 4). The update data acquiring module 92compares the specification data to data stored in the update datastorage module 97, and determines the update data to be used for theupdate. The update data storage module 97 is similar to the update datastorage module 49 in the UDS server 12.

Image file generator 981 generates an image file in which the updatedata generated by the update data acquiring module 92 and the image dataextracted from the image data are related and stored. The image file istransmitted by image file transmitter 982 to the destination accordingto the destination data.

FIG. 19 is a flowchart of the image file transmission process. The IFTserver 90 inputs the image file (Step S911) and extracts the image dataand the attribute data (Step 912). The IFT server 90 further extractsthe specification data from the attribute data (Step S913) and definesthe update data to be used (Step S915).

In this embodiment, the IFT server 90 retrieves the update data from theupdate data storage module 97, without acquiring the update data fromouter devices or other servers. The IFT server 90, then, generates themodified image file with the update data and the image data (Step S916).Subsequently, the IFT server 90 inputs the destination data (Step S920),and transmits the image data to the destination according to thedestination data (Step S930).

The IFT server 90 of this embodiment can edit and transmit the imagefile, which allows the user to use the PIM or the update data to editthe image file without complicated instructions.

In this embodiment, the PIM may be set according to the type of printer11 being used. In this case, the IFT server 90 stores the update data inthe mapping of the types of printers 11. The IFT server 90 specifies thetype of the printer 11 based on the specification data sent from the DSC10. This modification allows the user to use the appropriate PIMaccording to the type of the printer 11 without increasing thecomplexity of the process. And makers of the printer 11 can easilyprovide the PIMs for various types of printers.

The above embodiments and modifications thereof are to be considered inall aspects as illustrative and not restrictive. There may be manymodifications, changes, and alterations without departing from the scopeor spirit of the main characteristics of the present invention. Forexample, the diverse control processes discussed above may be attainedby hardware structures, instead of software configurations.

The scope and spirit of the present invention are indicated by theappended claims, and should not be restricted unnecessarily by theforegoing description.

1. A digital camera, comprising: an image data generating moduleconfigured to generate image data of an image captured by the digitalcamera; a display device; a control data storage for storing in advanceplural sets of image control data for use in controlling imageprocessing of the image data, each of the plural sets of image controldata including control parameters for a plurality of image processingitems; an image control data generating module configured to generateimage control data that is suitable for controlling image processing ofthe image data; and a memory management module configured to acquireadditional image control data from an external memory device separatefrom the digital camera, and to store the additional image control datainto the control data storage, wherein the image control data generatingmodule displays a user interface screen including a plurality of imagecontrol modes on the display device to enable a user to select one ofthe plurality of image control modes, and generates the image controldata for the image data using specific image control data which isassociated with the selected image control mode and which is selectedfrom plural sets of the image control data stored in the control datastorage, and when the additional image control data has been stored inthe control data storage, the image control data generating moduledisplays on the display device a plurality of image control modes whichincludes an additional image control mode related to the additionalimage control data.
 2. The digital camera according to claim 1, furthercomprising a memory card slot that receives a memory card storing theadditional image control data.
 3. The digital camera according to claim2, wherein the image control data includes a control parameter forcontrast and another control parameter for color balance.